Shockproof X-ray tilt table



July 28, 1936. A. c. NEL SON 2,049,271

SHOCKPROOF X-RAY TILT TABLE- Filed Sept. 29, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ,4. a. A/EZSO/V ATTORNE July 28, 1936. A. c. NELSON 2,049,271

SHOCKPROOF X-RAY TILT TABLE Filed Sept. 29, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 19 35 L39 K34 l7 ATTORNE Patented July 28, 1936 PATENT QFFICE SHOCKPROOF X-RAY TILT TABLE Albert 0. Nelson, Flushing, N. Y., assignor to Westinghouse X-Ray Company, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application September 29, 1934, Serial No. 746,037

'7 Claims.

. My invention relates to X-ray apparatus and has particular relation to X-ray tilt tables employed by the roentgenologists for the making of radiographic and fluoroscopic examinations 53: wherein the entire device is rendered shockproof to prevent accidental shocks resulting to a patient or an operator.

' In the 'prior art X-ray tables of this type are well known for enabling a patient, when lying l upon the table to be moved to various angular positions from below a horizontal or what is known as the Trendelenberg position, to a vertical position. It is customary to provide such tables with facilities for the taking of both radio- 15 graphic and fluoroscopic examinations, which in the first instance, usually comprises a tube column movable longitudinally of the table upon guide railssothat the X-ray tube carried thereby may be properly aligned with any desired por- 20 tion of a patients anatomy and a radiographic carriage holding a sensitized film.

The fluoroscopic apparatus normally employed consists of an X-ray tube and adjustable fluoroscopic shutters supported by a longitudinally and 2.5 transversely movable carriage below the table top and a fluorescent screen above the table top. The high potential electrical energy for energizing the fluoroscopic X-ray tube has, heretofore, been supplied through a mast unit comprising high ten- 30 sion insulators extending from a housing disposed atone end of the table and connected to overhead conductors leading to the high voltage source, as shown in my prior Patents Nos. 1,874,582 and 1,957,720. 7

-5. This housing in turn is supplied with cord reels connected to the high tension conductors extending through the insulators and to the terminals of the fluoroscopic X-ray tube thus enabling the connections for the tube to be lengthened or 40 shortened depending upon the direction of movement of the table top to its various angular positions. In order to prevent accidental contact with the high tension conductors by an operator or patient a wire guard or screen is usually provided 45 between the high tension housing and the table supporting standards.

In such construction, while the high tension conductors are more or less shielded when the table is in the horizontal or Trendelenberg posi- 50? tion, as the same approaches the vertical the high tensionconductors, as well as the X-ray tube, move in such-a manner as to be no longer disposed between the shield or guard. This accordingly exposes the high tension parts and increases 55? the hazard of shocks resulting to a patient or operator who might accidentally contact the same. Moreover, the necessity for the provision of a housing at one end of the table prevents access all around the table rendering it inconvenient to properly position a patient thereupon. 5 i

It is accordingly an object of my present invention to provide an X-ray tilt table which is of entirely shockproof construction.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an X-ray tilt table wherein all high tension carrying parts are completely enclosed in all positions of the table.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a shockproof X-ray tilt table in which the fluoroscopic X-ray tube, disposed below the table top, is totally enclosed and is energized by grounded metallic sheathed cables thus rendering the device shockproof- A further object of my invention is the provision of an X-ray tilt table wherein the fluoroscopic X-ray tube is energized through metallic sheathed high tension cables in any position of the table without undue flexing thereof tending to cause a disrupture of the cables, and the necessity for a high tension housing is eliminated thus permitting ready access to both ends of the table to facilitate the proper positioning of a patient.

Still further objects of my present invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shockproof X-ray tilt table constructed in accordance with my prevent invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view partly in section and with parts of the table broken away to better illustrate the device, and

Fig. 3 is an end view in elevation of the table shown in Fig. 1 with some of the parts broken away.

Referring now to the drawings in detail I have shown in Fig. '1, a base member comprising a pair of uprights or standards 5 and 6, which may be formed of welded sheet metal parts as shown and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 704,633; filed December 30, 1933, and cross braces 1 and 8 may interconnect these standards to increase the rigidity of construction. These standards, near their upper ends, are provided with a short extension 9 housing suitable bearings, such as ball races (not shown), to which a table top, shown generally at l2, for supporting the body of a patient, is pivotally journalled by the engagement of short shafts l3 and 14 with the bearings provided in the standards 5 and 6. The transverse axis formed by the shafts l3 and.

M is so disposed relative to the entire table and the standards that the, weight is substantially equalized for the purpose of increasing the ease with which the table can be rotated.

The table top l2 comprises a panel of X-ray pervious material, such as wood veneer or a phenolic condensation product, supporting same upon a rectangular frame I 5, to which the shafts I3 and M are connected. The panelis secured to the frame by means of an angular stainless steel retaining strip l6 flush with the table top surface, to enhance the appearance of the table as well as the ease of .placing and removing a patient therefrom. This rectangular frame |5.may be constructed of the same material as the uprights 5 and 6, and is provided with a spacing immediatelybelow the panelled top to enable a radiographic carriage ll, which carries the usual cassette tray for housing the sensitized films and the Bucky grid '(not shown), to be moved to any desired position longitudinally of the table. A housing, shown generally at l 8, is suitably secured, such as by welding or the like, to the rectangular frame H5. The side walls thereof have a portion of substantially semispherical configuration which are suitably reinforcedand have secured thereto a curved rack bar or sprocket chaining 19 thus forming segmental: gears for moving theltable to its various angular positions.

For the purpose of rotating the table top about its axis formed by the pivots l3 and lfihmecha crank 20 or by an electric motor as more. spe-,

cifically shown and described in my aforementioned copending application. 'As the details of construction of this mechanism per se, nor its particularmode of operation, forms no part of my presentinvention further detailed 'description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

When it is desired to utilize the X-ray table for a radiographicexamination an. X-ray. tube 22, which is carried by a tube column 23 movable longitudinally of the table upon suitable guide rails 24, is moved. into position to align with the desired portion of a patients anatomy and the sensitized film carried by the radiographic carriage, in the usual manner as is well known in the art,'and

shown in my prior'Patent No. 1,957,720, issued May8,-1934." V

A fluoroscopic carriage 25 is also adapted to move transversely and longitudinally'of the table top and supports .a fluorescent screen 26 above, and a suitably rayi 'shielded X-ray tube 27' and adjustable fluoroscopic shutters below the table top. In order to'conduct high potential electrical energy to the fluoroscopic X-ray tube 2'! a pair of grounded metallic sheathed high tension cables 23 and 29 is connected to a high potential source, such as ahightension transformer (not.

shown). These cables may be connected directly to such transformer and laid across the floor or to an overhead system as shown in Fig. 1 which in turn is connected to the high tension source.

I The remaining ends of the high tensioncables 28a'nd' 29 are secured. to suitable insulators 30 and '32 carried by a pair of uprights 33 supported by a brace member-3d extendingbetween the standards 5 and 6 and forming part of the base member. The conductors of the respective cables are in turn electrically connected to self feeding and retractable wire reels 35 and 36 carried by the insulators with the reel conductorsconnected operator upon contacting the same.

to the terminals of the X-ray tube 21. The housing I8 is provided with slots 31 and 38 on the underside thereof for the purpose of enabling the table top to be rotated about its pivot without interfering in any way with the cables 28 and 29 or insulators 30 and-32 which extend well into the housing I 8 thus obviating accidental contact with all high tension carryingparts. by an operator or patient.

7 In order to permit access to the fluoroscopic tube or other parts the housing. I8 is provided tension carrying parts are totallyenclosed. The X-ray tube disposed below the table top for the 1 making'of fluoroscopic examination is supplied with high tension electrical energy through grounded metallic sheathed cables which are'connected to the tube interiorly of the 'housingan'd extend thereinto in such a manner as'to preclude the possibility of shocks resulting toa patient or operator. 'Moreover, the table may'be moved to anydesired angular position without inany way disturbing the high tension metalliccables, thus preventing undue flexing thereof tending to cause wear or 'disrupture, and'the entire table remains shockproof in all its various positions. Inasmuch as the high tension cables extend into; the table housing the necessity for a fluoroscopic high tension mast and housingat'one end of the table is eliminated which rendersboth ends of the table accessible to an operator thus increasing the facility of properly positioning patients upon the table. i I i Although I have shown and described one specific embodiment of my presentinvention I do'not belowand a fluorescent screen above'said table top, a remotely disposed source of high potential: electrical energy for energizing said X-ray tube, means secured to the underside of said table top and totally enclosing the portion of said fluoroscopiccarriage below said; table top together with said X-ray tube and all exposed high tension carrying partsto prevent accidentalshocks resulting to a patient or operator when said table is moved to any of its various angular positions and insulated means extending through said last mentioned means and connecting said X-ray tube to'said remotely disposed source for trans ,7

mitting electrical energy therebetween and to prevent accidental shocks resulting to a patient'or 2. In a shockproof X-ray examination table, the combination of a pair of standards, a table top supported upon said standards and rotatable. V

to various angular positions, a fluoroscopic car- 'riage movable longitudinally of, said tabletop provided with an X-ray tubedisposed therebelow and adapted to be energized by high potential electrical energy from a suitable source, a housposed high tension carrying parts to prevent accidental shocks resulting to a patient or operator, and grounded metallic sheathed cables extending into said housing for supplying high tension electrical energy from said source to said X-ray tube in all angular positions of said table.

3. In a shookproof X-ray examination table, the combination of a pair of standards, a table top pivotally supported upon said standards and rotatable to various angular positions, a fluoroscopic carriage movable longitudinally of said table top provided with an X-ray tube disposed therebelow and adapted to be energized by high potential electrical energy from a suitable source, a housing secured to the underside of said table top and forming a closure for said X-ray tube and all exposed high tension carrying parts to prevent accidental contact therewith by a patient or operator, means secured to said housing for causing movement thereof with attendant movement of said table top about its pivot to various angular positions, and grounded metallic sheathed cables extending into said housing for supplying high tension electrical energy from said source to said X-ray tube in all angular positions of said table without interfering with the movement of said housing and table top.

4. In a shockproof X-ray examination table, the combination of a base member including a pair of standards, a table top pivotally supported upon said standards and rotatable to various angular positions, a fluoroscopic carriage movable longitudinally of said table top provided with an X-ray tube disposed therebelow and adapted to be energized by high potential electrical energy from a suitable source, a housing secured to the underside of said table top and forming a closure for said X-ray tube and all exposed high tension carrying parts to prevent accidental contact therewith by a patient or operator, high tension insulators rigidly supported by said base member and extending into said housing and provided with self-feeding and retractable means connecting said insulators to said X-ray tube in all angular positions of said table top, and grounded metallic sheathed cables connected to said insu- ,lators for supplying high potential electrical energy from said source to said last mentioned means and to said X-ray tube.

5. In a shockproof X-ray examination table, the combination of a base member including a pair of standards, a table top pivotally supported upon said standards and rotatable to various angular positions, a fluoroscopic carriage movable longitudinally of said table top provided with an X-ray tube disposed therebelow and adapted to be energized by high potential electrical energy from a suitable source, a housing provided with a pair of longitudinally extending slots secured to the underside of said table top and movable therewith, said housing forming a closure for said X-ray tube and all exposed high tension carrying parts to prevent accidental contact therewith by an operator or patient, a pair of high tension insulators rigidly supported by said base member and extending through said slots into said housing to enable movement of the latter and rotation of said table top to various angular positions about its pivot and provided with conductive members connected to said X-ray tube, and grounded metallic sheathed cables connected to said insulators for supplying electrical energy from said source through said insulators and said members to said X-ray tube in all angular positions of said table top.

6. In a shockproof X-ray examination table, the combination of a base member including a pair of standards, a table top pivotally supported upon said standards and rotatable to various angular positions, a fluoroscopic carriage movable longitudinally of said table top provided with an X-ray tube disposed therebelow and adapted to be energized by high potential electrical energy from a suitable source, a housing provided with a pair of longitudinally extending slots secured to the underside of said table top and forming a closure for said X-ray tube and all exposed high tension carrying parts to prevent accidental contact therewith by a patient or operator, a pair of high tension insulators rigidly supported by said base member and extending through said slots into said housing to enable movement of the latter and rotation of said table top to various angular positions about its pivot, yieldable means carried by said insulators and connected to said X-ray tube in all angular positions of said table top, and grounded metallic sheathed cables connected to said insulators for supplying electrical energy from said source to said yieldable means and to said X-ray tube.

'7. In a shockproof X-ray examination table, the combination of a base member including a pair of standards, a table top pivotally supported upon said standards and rotatable to various angular positions, a fluoroscopic carriage movable longitudinally of said table top provided with an X-ray tube disposed therebelow and adapted to be energized by high potential electrical energy from a suitable source, a housing provided with a pair of longitudinally extending slots secured to the underside of said table top and forming a closure for said X-ray tube and all exposed high tension carrying parts to prevent accidental contact therewith by a patient or operator, means secured to said housing for causing movement thereof with attendant movement of said table top about its pivot to various angular positions, a pair of high tension insulators rigidly supported by said base member and extending through said slots into said housing to enable movement of the latter and said table top, yieldable means carried by said insulators and connected to said X-ray tube in all angular positions of said table top, and grounded metallic sheathed cables connected to said insulators for supplying electrical energy from said source to said yieldable means and X-ray tube.

ALBERT C. NELSON. 

